"This is an extraordinary event in the history of judiciary, with no pleasure we were forced to call this nation for press conference" said Justice Chelameswar

New Delhi: In an unprecedented event, four of Supreme Court’s senior sitting judges, Justices J.Chelameswar, Ranjan Gogoi, Madan Lokur and Kurian Joseph addressed a joint press conference on Friday afternoon citing disagreement on the allocation of certain cases by the CJI Dipak Misra.

Introducing the press briefing Justice J.Chelameswar said, "This is an extraordinary event in the history of the judiciary, with no pleasure we were forced to call this nation for a press conference".

Speaking further about the issue, Justice Chelameswar said, “We tried to tell the Chief Justice Dipak Misra about certain things that are not in order, but unfortunately our efforts were failed”.

Chelameswar said, "Unless this institution is preserved, democracy will not survive in this country."

Justice Chelmesawar’s words hinted at friction between the Chief Justice and top four judges of the country after the CJI.

He further said that “The issue is of assignment of a case which has been mentioned in the letter we wrote to the CJI".

"We don't want anyone to tell us tomorrow that we sold off our spirit" Justice Chelameswar added.
On being frequently asked to specify what the issue was, Ranjan Gogoi, one of the four senior judges, said, "It is an issue of an assignment of a case that is raised in the letter, copy of which will be provided to you."

"Nobody is breaking the rank and it is a discharge of debt to the nation which we have done, said Justice Gogoi.

The remarks assume significance as the Supreme Court today took up for consideration the issue of alleged mysterious death of special CBI judge BH Loya, who was hearing the sensitive Sohrabuddin Sheikh encounter case. Loya died on December 1, 2014.